Signal mechanism.



No. 868,569. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907. B. E. FLORA.

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION nun mm: 1a, 1906.

' '4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

E. E. FLORA. SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1a, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 863,569. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907. E. E. FLORA.

SIGN-AL MECHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED JUN 2153 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

nzs cm, WASHINGTON, o, c.

I v PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907. E. B. FLORA. I SIGNAL MECHANISM. 'Arnmnxon FILED JUNE 18; 1906.

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Q KW N l R N NORRIS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELLSWORTI-I E. FLORA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ZORGE SAFETY RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

N 0. 863,569. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 13, 1907. Application filed June 18, 1906. Serial No; 322,240,

To all 'whom it may concern: I having an armature (Z controlling the movement of Be it known that I, ELLSWORTH E. FLORA, a citithe locking lever (2 and an electric circuit (I which zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the indirectly controls the circuit of the magnet d and county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented which is equipped with a battery (F said circuit (Z new and useful Alarm and Signal Mechanism, of having a conductor (Z leading to a contact-piont (P which the following is a specification. and a conductor d connected with the switch-point C, This invention relates particularly to means for and said circuit having also conductors (P connected giving warning to an engineer, or motorman, approachwith a train-actuated switch d It is to be borne in ing an open switch, or an open draw, with his train, or mind that the mechanism D shown diagrammatically 10 car; and the primary object of the invention is to pro in Fig. l is, in practice, properly incased, as shown in vide improved apparatus involving the use of a device Figs. 2 and 3. which will be preparatorily set when the switch is The mechanism D comprises an electro-magnet (Z thrown open and which will operate to detonate a tor included in the electric circuit (Z and normally enerpedo, or explosive body, when a train passes over it in gized by the battery (1 a signal arm d normally held 1 approaching a switch. in an elevated position by the magnet (Z said arm (Z The invention is illustrated in the accom an in havin a )ivotal shaft (Z on which is 'ournaled a p i a a. 1 drawings, in which ratchet-wheel which serves to actuate a gear-train Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a rail- (2 of a governing device (Z said arm c2 having a pawl way track equipped with this improved alarm device; d" through the medium of which the ratchet-wheel is 2 Fig. 2, a broken plan view showing a fragment of a actuated when the arm is raised through the medium of rail and a portion of the mechanism of the improved the electro-magnet (Z and an electric circuit (Z in alarm device in relation thereto; Fig. 3, a sectional which the magnet d" of the mechanism D is included, view taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2, and showing said circuit having a contact point (Z engaging the arm also a fragment of a car wheel; Fig. 4, a broken plan (Z when the latter is in its elevated position, and said 25 view showing on an enlarged scale the switch appearing circuit having a battery (1 serving normally to energize at the righthand portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a sectional the magnet d. The signal arm (Z projects into a casview taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig, 6, ing (Z in which are mounted a lamp (Z having a white a broken section taken as indicated at line 6 of Fig. 5. light and a signal (Z having a white surface. The sig- In the preferred construction, A represents the main nal arm (Z is equipped with red glasses (Z d adapted 30 track of a railway; B, a side-track; C, a switch-point to cover the lamp (1 and the signal (Z when the arm operated by any convenient means (not shown); D, a (Z is dropped, the glass d preferably being transparent torpedo-placing device electrically connected with the and the glass (i opaque. In the safety condition of the switch-point and operating to cause an explosion, or a road, the lamp d serves to give a clear light by night, series of explosions in the event that a train passes over and the signal d serves to indicate safety conditions the track in the direction indicated by the arrow while by day; and when the arm d is lowered, the light from the switchpoint is open; and D, a visual signal electhe lamp passing through the glass (Z' indicates danger trically connected with the device D. by night, and the red opaque glass (1 indicates danger The device D preferably comprises casing (Z (Figs. by day. 1, 2 and 3) having a lower chamber (Z and an upper I From the description thus far given it will be under- 40 chamber (P, the chambers being separated by a plate (Z stood that the visual signal will indicate danger in the and the upper chamber having a removable top (i a event that the electric circuit (Z is opened at the rotary torpedo-carrier (1 located in the upper chamber switch-point and at the train-actuated switch (1 and and havinga depending sleeve cZ journaled in a bearing also that the circuit (1 will be broken and dencrgize in the plate d and resting at its lower end on a springthe magnet (Z of the torpedo-placing mechanism when 4 casing d which is located in the lower portion of the the arm d is lowered to indicate a visual danger signal. chamber (P; a shaft (Z extending through the sleeve d The casing (1 may be of cylindrical form with one side and into the casing said shaft being connected by a made fiat, or segmental, as indicated at g, to enable the stud (Z with a coil-spring d whose outer end is joined casing to be placed closeto a track-rail. The shaft (Z is by studs d to the casing (Z a ratchet-wheel (Z fixed journaled near the fiat side of the casing, and the top d 50 on the upper end of the shaft (i a pair of spring-held of the chamber d is provided with an opening 9 (Fig. pawls (Z mounted on the carrier (2 and engaging the 3) through which the torpedoes may be projected by ratchet-wheel (Z alocking-lever (l whose lower end is the carrier and placed upon the adjacent rail of the supported on a pivot (Z and whose upper end projects track. The top (1 is preferably pivotally and removthrough a slot (1 in the plate J, said locking-lever con ably connected with the body of the casing, the details 55 trolling the movement of the carrier (1 a magnet d of the connection being unimportant. The carrier d is shown in the form of. a disk equipped with two diametrically opposite sockets g which serve to receive shanks g of torpedoes g". The shanks g are provided at their ends with slots which receive clamping screws g, whereby the torpedoes are llrmly secured in place. The normal position of the torpedoes is shown in Fig. 2, from which it will be understood that the torpedoes lie normally parallel with the track-rail and housed in the chamber d. The carrier (Z is provided on its lower side with a pair of diametrically opposite locking shoulders g7 arranged on a circle of given diameter, and on a diameter at right-angles to the diameter containing the shoulders g and on a larger circle with diametrically opposite locking shoulders g The locking lever (1 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 5 by the magnet d", in which position it is in the path of the stops g and in engagement with one 01' said stops. A spring g (Fig, 3) tends to throw the locking lever (1 to the other limit of its movement and thus bring the upper end of the locking lever into the path of the stops 9 of the torpedo-carrier. When the magnet d" is deenergized, as will occur when a breakage or failure of the electric circuit d occurs, the lever d will be actuated by the spring g thereby disengaging the lever from the stop g with which it is in engagement and moving it into the path of the next succeeding stop 9 so that the torpedo-carrier will be permitted to make a quarter turn, thereby placing the torpedo above the track-rail at the point indicated at h in Fig. 2. Each torpedostem g is formed with a head having, in the construction shown, three torpedoes mounted thereon, so arranged as to be presented longitudinally of the rail when in position for exploding, it being understood that the arrangement is designed to cause a series of explosions in rapid succession, when a wheel passes over the torpedoes.

In Fig, 1 is shown an electric circuit K provided with a bell 7e and a battery is, said circuit being connected with thetorpedo-carrier d and with a contact point is adapted to make contact with the spring (Z shown in Fig. 3, when the latter expands in actuating the carrier, The purpose of the circuit K is to give warning when the spring requires re-winding. The bell may be located at a station, if desired, so that an attendant; can see that the device is re-wound. Ordinarily it is expected that it will be the duty of the traincrew to see that the device is re-charged after an alarm signal has been given.

The switch (Z of the electric circuit (Z is designed to break the circuit at the point where said switch is located when a train passes in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, in which event, if the circuit d is also open at the contact point (Z the magnet (Z will be deenergized, a danger visual signal exhibited, the magnet (1" deenergized and a torpedo placed upon the track. Said switch preferably comprises a pair of spring contact members Z, Z mounted upon an insulation block Z and connected, respectively, with the conductors d, d; a casing Z within which the block Z is mounted on one lateral wall thereof with the spring contact members Z, Z projecting horizontally into the casin a contact member Z" normally closing the circuit between the contact members Z, Z and carried by an arm Z a vertical shaft, or stud, Z to which the arm Z is rigidly seemed, said shalt Z being equipped at its upper end with ahead Z having groove-and-slot connections Z with the upper surface of the casing Z; a torsion spring Z tending normally to hold the switch in the closed condition with the arm Z bearing against an internal stop Z with which the casing Z is provided and a wheel-actuated lever Z connected by a transverse pivot Z with lugs 1 with which the head Z of the stud Z is equipped, said lever being held normally in the position shown in Fig. 5 by a spring Z The lever Z has a long arm Z which is directed toward the switchpoint C, and a short arm Z which acts as a stop against an arm Z with which the head Z is provided, thereby limiting the upward swing of the long end of the lever under the tension of the spring Z. The free extremity of the long end of the lever is curved downwardly, as shown in Fig. 5. The relation of the lever to the trackrail is shown in Fig. t, irom which it appears that the lever has an obliquely set lateral surface Z forming a V-shaped space with the adjacent lateral surface of the tread portion of the rail, the surface Z joining asurface Z parallel with and closely adjacent to the rail at the extremity of the long arm of the lever. It will now be understood that when a train passes in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l the flange of the wheel will act as a wedge to turn the lever on its vertical axis, thereby turning the shaft Z, actuating the arm Z and breaking the circuit d by withdrawing the contact member Z from between the contact members Z, Z. When the train moves in the opposite direction from that indicated by the arrow, the wheels of the train will oscillate the lever Z in a vertical plane, but will not break the circuit at the switch (W.

The operation of the mechanism hereinabove described may be briefly stated: Assuming the switchpoint C to be closed, a train may pass over the track in either direction without affecting the mechanism otherwise than by operating the switch J Assuming the switch-point O to be open, a train passing over the track in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 will operate the switch lever Z thereby breaking the circuit d so that the magnet (Z will be denergized (since the circuit d is also broken at the contact point d), thereby permitting the arm (Z to drop and a danger visual signal to be exhibited, it being understood that in this movement the pawl (Z rides idly over the ratchet-wheel d When the arm (I drops, the circuit d of the magnet d is broken, thereby denergizing the magnet d and allowing the spring g to move the locking lever d from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the other limit of its movement, where it will be in position to engage the succeeding stop g may now operate to turn the shaft d and the ratchetwheel d", which will, through the medium of the pawls (Z turn the torpedo-carrier through an angle of 90, or until the stop g engages the movable stop (1. The relation of the casing d to the adjacent rail of the track is such that when the torpedo-carrier makes a quarter turn from the position shown in Fig. 2, a torpedo will be placed above the rail in position to be struck by a wheel of a passing train. The manner of supporting the casing is not shown, but it will be understood that the casing is firmly supported in any suitable manner on the outer side of the adjacent rail, so that the stem of the torpedo will not be engaged by the flange of the wheel. After operation of the device, the torpedo-carrier will, upon The spring d closure of the circuit d either at the switch G or at the train-actuated electric switch 01 make a quarter revolution, owing to the fact that the arm d will be raised by the magnet 11 and the electric circuit d reestabi lished, thereby causing the vibratory stop (1 to be retracted against the action of its spring. This will leave the device in a condition for a second operation. As has been indicated, however, train crews Will be instructed to re-charge and re-set the device after each operation; and where possible, warning will be conveyed by the circuit K to some attendant whose duty it is to keep watch of the signal mechanism.

It should be stated that the function of the governing device d is to prevent a rapid elevation of the arm d when the magnet (Z is renergized. It is to be borne in mind that the circuit (Z is momentarily closed during the intervals between the engagement of the lever Z of the switch 01 by the wheels of the train; and with no provision made against the quick actuation of the arm d and the restablishment of the circuit 61 of the magnet d, the device D would be caused to operate to withdraw the torpedo from its position above the rail. The device (Z comprises a fan geared to the ratchetwheel 1 and the fan, operating at a high rate I of rotation, serves as a brake, insuring slow movement of the arm d. Therefore, before the circuit d can be reestablished the circuit d is again broken by a succeeding wheel of the train, and this condition is maintained until the torpedo is encountered by the train.

It is noteworthy that the electric circuit d includes a branch which is connected with the switch-point O and a branch which is connected with the train-actu- I ated electric switch d, the torpedo-placing device being located between said points.

The improved device may be usefully employed in I connection with switches, drawbridges, visual signals, i crossings, and in various other situations. I

What I regard as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, "is

1. The combination with a track-rail, and an electric circuit controlling said signaling device, of a trainactuated switch-arm occupying a normally closed position in said circuit movable about 'a vertical axis and a wheel-actuated lever movable about a horizontal axis and serving to turn said switclrarm and break the circuit when the train-movement is in one direction and to move idly without aifecting the switclrarm when the train movement is in the other direction.

2. A train-actuated switch for comprising a switch-arm, a vertical shaft on which said arm is secured, a spring tending to rotate said arm in one direction and close the circuit, a lever connected with said shaft by a horizontal pivot, said lever having a long arm with an oblique lateral surface, and a spring tending to hold the free end of said arm normally elevated.

Z The combination with a railway track of a torpedoplacing device, an electroanagnet controlling said device and having a circuit equipped with an electric generator, a visual signal. an electroanagnet controlling said signal, a circuit for said seeondna1ned electro-magnet controlled from the track. and governing mechanism operated by said sec0udnamed electro-magnet and controlling the period of closure of said first-named circuit.

4. The combination with a railway track, placing device, an electro-magnet controlling the same and having a circuit equipped with an electric generator, :1 visual signal having a movable member connected with said electric circuit and equipped with a governing de vice controlling theclosing of said circuit, an electromagnet serving to actuate said movable member of the visual signal, and a circuit for said second-named magnet equipped with a generator and controlled by a movable rail of the track placed on one side of the torpedo-placing device and a train-actuated electric switch placed on the other side of the torpedoplacing device.

a signaling device,

the purpose set forth,

of a torpedo- ELLSWORTH E. FLORA.

In presence of L. I'IEISLAR, J. H. LANDES. 

